Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-03-11
MA UNA LOA.
unwnir- Great Volcanic Eruption.


"A series of earthquakes began, and contin-
ued with but little intermission for two days
From 3 A. NJ of the 18th to p. NJ. Of the
18th over 300 distinct shocks were record
ed. Stone walls were thrown down, houses
started from their foundations, crockery
was smashed and IA large water-tank thrown
over, but no expensive structures were de
stroyed and no lives were lost. About r..
Nj. the eruption began in good earnest, the
vent being situated between 5000 and 6OOO
feet above the sea, from which 1t was dis
tant about 20 miles. The land around this
point being comparatively level, nothing
could at first be seen from below but AN inn
mcnse column Of steam and smoke llumi
mated 10y the glow of the spreading lava.
About S o'clock the lava appeared along
the lower edge of the plain and began tn
trickle over in large streams, and in anoth
err hour cataract of fire mile wide was
pouring over the brink and rushing down
the side of the mountain Contracting into
comparatively narrow limits at the steepest
declivities, spreading out again whore the
country was more level, dividing into yari
Gus streams and uniting again, according Il
the lay Of the land, following the lines OF
least resistance like any other moving fluid,
the fiery torrent swept down and ON until
it finally tumbcd over bank some 20 or 81
feet high into the sea Meanwhile, a. seer
from distance Of few miles, the cloud OF
steam and smoke with which the eruption
had begun had given place to surginl
mass of fire fountains, rising and falling in
cessantly and leaping apparently severa
hundred feet into the air
All that week and most of the next tn,
eruption continued with great force, vary
ing in activity from day to day until neal
the end of the second week, when it rapid
ly declined aud practically ceased on TIN
morning of Tuesday. Feb. lst. During al
this time immense volumes of smoke arts
ing partly from the volcano and partly from
burning vegetation, covered the greater
part of the island 10y day, fiery glows light
ed up the heavens 10y night, while occasion
al earthquake shocks served to keep the in
/ habitants in q constant state of eNcitcmcu
| and alarm In the absence OF the usua
stiff trade wind, to carry 1t OF, the smok
pervnded. more or less, the entire group
| In Honolulu. about 1870 miles in direc
| line from the eruption. it was very conspic
unus. The sky was overspread with
| smoky tnge like that of an American In
! dian summer only more intense. The hill
back of the town showed blue and ghostl
through the hazy air, while objects fe,
miles distant were entirely obliterated.
During the active stages of the flow
was visited by numerous parties. some q
whom penetrated To its source. The Law
was found to issue, not from a crater, j
the ordinary acceptation of the word, bu
from long crevicc or rift which extende
for AN indefinite distance along the side {
the mountain The crevice was from tweI
ty feet To forty feet wide. Down this chan
mel the incadescent lava was running wit
great velocity, while at different point
along the line fiery fountains discharge
their lets from fifty tu Il hundred feet int
the air. The largest fountain occupied
space Of over "a hundred feet along the lin
Of the channel, aud the lava spurted nj
not steadily, as from pipe under hydro
static pressure, hut IN successive spurts
though forced up 10y explosions Of gas ,
steam
Adyicrs recei, ed in Honolulu on Satu
day and Sunday having indicated that Il
eruption was still active and the spectac
grand ! Ielt Tor 'h' H"" 10y the 'I'"i'''
hlhau ON MONDAY aito' h'"'' january d
IN company with large number "l "th
NIght-Seers' \" seemed uaIk ana yea
save an occasional sparkle from 'le h"lt'
&" 'h' 'frNl'e ana tue H'Il' columns
steam along the lhky sh"i'' looking WEI
ana sh"Stllke III lhe llsh' "i inc nan mo"
faf uP the mountain Iht aih'u'"eII'S 81
herS OF the eruption manifested tneliNeiN
IN inint reflection from TIE clouds
Wednesday morning Drought 10 hsht
scene oil strange dtHolati'h' Inc front
the How, where II hld poured over IlVo u
sea- was ABOUT ''l'ie IN 'ehsVh' showing
lTeclWt'uS front an" ragged crest
from MY l" seventy -n'e leeu !" heisl
About nan "i inns hels"l 'ePlcSeh'e" u
Oh shore me- ana 'ie remainder Tue V'iic
ness oil tNe ne" laF" "hl'h h"d run over
lAiidllS near 'ht HouIheIlS elBe III
How we commenced our explorations /
How aS already said, was at thlS Poi
about iille "lue' ana us 'hlckhesS apo
the OLD laNa' over "hich 1t hah run lro
twenty 10 thlrty Ieeu' Inc Sires we
rather steeply SlopihS' ana could lie scar
at almost any point "hero 'h'A neat al
Na'or ulu MOI loi"pu' me "ueil"I COZ
posing the no" was en''rey ".a' Is can
IN hawHllah a-"' II kiiiu "i sag OF cilll
ef oil the roughcSt an" rasse"eSV KIM /
pieces are vi an sizes ana vi every coh'el
able shape heape" an" Pied together
the widest confusion jagged ahgul
I ana repeHaht 10 inc H'S' "esIee' re'o
Hawaiian a-a no" may "e Regarded
the maierhl eii'ponll'lenI oi pure cusS'
ness II must nave h'eh rom Nuch see
as Il'iS Vhat lore ''eN '"e INSPIRATION
ms lhierhal landscape
Climbing up the rugged slope ana l"oKl
OIL across the surface "' the 10" the a'l'
Phefe SCENE" lulNeIll'H WIN neat ~
; bottom OIL cracks " I"o' or TWO ueeP
cherry RED lnVa coui" he seen sl""lns'
had ohll I" tiluS' III our s'''AS anu "r'
them ont ON IRE ana 50 hEhl our pipes
rectly from natures hreplace' III So
} places large fragments oil d" Oh p'i
pred up ana turned over were lounu
hot ON the under slue' piach ana oea,'